Multi-sensory backpack system for people with special needs

ABSTRACT

A backpack system specifically designed for people with special needs such as those with ADD/ADHD, SPD, autism, anxiety disorder, etc., is disclosed. The backpack system comprises: a backpack comprising a bag body having a plurality of compartments, a pair of shoulder straps including a plurality of receiving portions of fasteners, and a wide belt attached to the bag body to encircle and cover a large portion of an abdominal area of a user; and a plurality of accessories configured to be attached to and detached from the shoulder straps, each accessory having a mounting portion of the fastener corresponding to the receiving portion of the fastener and an item that provides at least one sensory input for soothing and comforting.

CROSS REFERENCE

This PCT Application claims the benefit of the U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/742,215, filed on Oct. 5, 2018.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure generally relates to apparatus designed to provide multi-sensory effects to soothe and calm people with special needs.

BACKGROUND

Childhood developmental and mental health disorders continue to be on the rise at staggering rates. In 2018, the CDC reported that approximately 1 in 59 children was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. Parents usually notice signs in the first two or three years of their child's life. Some characteristics of autism include certain forms of repetitive, restricted or compulsive behaviors that an individual feels compelled to perform in order to reduce anxiety. The CDC also reported that attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD), one of the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders among children, has the prevalence of 9.4% of children aged 2-17 years (approximately 6.1 million children). Symptoms of ADD/ADHD include, for example, having trouble holding attention to tasks or play activities, and getting easily distracted. These children often fidget, squirm in seat or have difficulty staying seated, and are often described as “on the go.” In addition, the CDC reports that anxiety disorder is also on the rise: 7.1% of children aged 3-17 years (approximately 4.4 million) have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder.

Difficulties or inefficiency in sensory processing/arousal regulations are often related to the above-mentioned disorders. Sensory processing is the process that organizes sensation from one's own body and the environment, thus making it possible to use the body effectively within the environment. However, these difficulties can exist even within a population of people who have sensory processing disorder (SPD) unrelated to autism, ADD/ADHD or other developmental/mental disorders. SPD is a neurological disorder characterized by abnormal responses to a person's perception of sensory information. It is a condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through one's senses, by either over-responding (hyper-responsive) and/or under-responding (hypo-responsive). Pioneering occupational therapist and psychologist, A. Jean Ayres, Ph.D., compared SPD to a neurological “traffic jam” that prevents certain parts of the brain from receiving the information needed to interpret sensory information correctly. It is believed that at least one in twenty people in the general population is affected by SPD. Tools, such as parent surveys, clinical assessments and laboratory protocols have been used to identify children with SPD.

Meltdowns, difficulty with paying attention, difficulty with performing consistently and optimally are all reactions to feeling overwhelmed/over-stimulated, and may be common factors in the above mentioned diagnoses and conditions. A child who tends to lose control over his/her behavior may greatly benefit from external support to help calm down, regroup and reset. Alternatively or additionally to cognitive behavioral therapy, occupational therapy and other treatments, people with special needs may benefit from the use of sensory-based toys/tools to calm and organize their behavior, to help function more optimally throughout their day, as well as to override their impulse when stress or anxiety spikes. Various therapeutic tools and methods have been developed over the years, including a wide variety of soothing items to help with meltdowns and sensory challenges. Sensory toys are designed to provide specific sensory inputs that many children with special needs may seek. Whether it is visual, auditory, tactile, oral, etc., these toys are intended to fulfill or meet a sensory need or craving to help balance a child's nervous system and assist with attention, resulting in calming and relaxation.

In addition to the above toys/tools, many children respond positively to deep pressure as a calming tool. The benefits of deep-pressure touching, hugging or cuddling are well understood, as these sensations stimulate the release of serotonin and dopamine, i.e., two neurotransmitters that make people feel more relaxed. This type of sensation can also stimulate portions of the limbic system, i.e., the brain's network for processing emotion such as happiness. For children who have an over-reactive nervous system to stimuli (touch, sounds, sights, tastes, etc.), and who tend to escalate in response to everyday experiences, applying deep pressure to the abdominal area is beneficial to help over-ride the autonomic response of “fight or flight” that our sympathetic nervous system signals to warn us of potential danger.

There exist conventional toys intended to provide calming effects. Examples of these toys providing visual sensory stimulation include motion lamps, liquid timers, tops, etc. Tactile sensory stimulation involves the sensation arising from touching certain types of textures or patterns. Examples of toys providing tactile sensory stimulation include massaging pillows, patterned blocks or balls, textured fabrics, weighted blankets, etc. Fidget toys are typically small hand-held toys for fumbling to relieve fidgeting. However, the above conventional toys are devised independently and individually, and each is meant to target a single one-dimensional sensory system, although a person may feel the needs for multiple calming sensory tools at once or sequentially to optimize the calming effect.

Meltdowns or maladaptive behaviors are often observed among children with special needs such as those with ADD/ADHD, SPD, autism, anxiety disorder, etc., requiring assistance and support in school, home and the community. In view of the drastic increase in the number of children with such special needs in recent years, it is now time to hear the voices of the teachers, parents, therapists and the like to develop an affordable and comprehensive system or apparatus for effectively calming meltdowns and reducing maladaptive behaviors uncontrollably triggered by the child's physical, psychological or developmental conditions.

Although the above background descriptions illustrate various data and research findings mostly pertaining to children, considerations should be given to the fact that adults or adolescents with special needs also suffer from similar symptoms. Therefore, the provision of affordable and comprehensive systems/apparatus to address such issues is urgently awaited by a large population in the present-day society.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1-7 illustrate a front perspective view, a rear perspective view, a top view, a bottom view, a left side view, a right side view and a front view of the backpack of the present backpack system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 8 illustrates a front view of the backpack in a configuration where both the belt and the sternum strap are opened.

FIG. 9 illustrates a front perspective view of the backpack worn by a user.

FIGS. 10-12 illustrate examples of the sensory accessories configured to be attached to and detached from the backpack.

FIG. 13 illustrates another examples of the sensory accessories, which are illustrated without the mounting portions of the fasteners.

FIG. 14 illustrates a front perspective view of an example of the backpack system according to an embodiment, including the backpack and the multiple sensory accessories attached thereto via the respective fasteners.

FIG. 15 illustrates an example situation wherein a child/user is wearing the backpack system illustrated in FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 illustrates an example of the internal structure of the bag body of the backpack.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In view of the drastic increase in the number of people with special needs such as those with ADD/ADHD, SPD, autism, anxiety disorder, etc., a new type of affordable and comprehensive systems/apparatus or tools are desired to effectively calm them down and reduce the maladaptive behaviors triggered by the person's physical, psychological or developmental conditions. Specifically, this document provides a multi-sensory backpack system that is designed to integrally provide multiple sources of soothing effects and comfort for people with such special needs. The present multi-sensory backpack system is designed by considering the functionality of a backpack and embedding it with multi-sensory calming tools, enabling a user to have immediate access to any of them as needed.

According to the present backpack system that incorporates multi-sensory tools, a user is provided with many sensory calming outlets to activate the different sensory nervous systems to work together to help calm and soothe. These underlying sensory nervous systems include:

Visual: The visual system is the part of the central nervous system that is required for visual perception—receiving, processing and interpreting visual information to build a representation of the visual environment. Visual sensory tools having calming colors and eye catching patterns can be integrated into fabric strips or objects, configured to be detachably attached to the backpack of the present backpack system. Auditory: The auditory system is responsible for the sense of hearing. It is divided into two subsystems—the peripheral auditory system (outer ear, middle ear and inner ear) and the central auditory system (from the cochlear nucleus up to the primary auditory cortex). A variety of sounds can have a calming effect or help to drown out noxious sounds from a busy environment. The present backpack system can be configured to accommodate and store a mobile device such as a tablet, smartphone, vibration pack, etc. that can emit and stream comforting or preferred music, sounds or vibrations, and to have a pass-through opening for a wire connecting the mobile device to a headphone or earphone worn by the user. Tactile: The tactile system, or sense of touch, is related to the processing of information we receive though the receptors in our skin. It alerts us to pain and temperature, and helps us discriminate the properties of things we come in contact with, i.e. texture, shape, size, weight, etc. There are also soothing and comforting elements to the tactile system. Touching and manipulating certain textures can have a calming and organizing effect. The present backpack system can include fabric strips configured to offer a wide variety or textures and functions to help soothe and calm, and can be customized to enable each person to have his/her own tactile preferences to touch and feel as needed. Olfactory: The olfactory system is responsible for our sense of smell. Research shows that certain smells can have a calming effect. Examples of these scents may include lavender, vanilla, jasmine, peppermint and other herbal scents. Scent diffusers, e.g., essential oils, containing these calming scents can be accommodated in a keychain or other small objects, to be attached to an upper portion of the present backpack, allowing the user to have access to the scent as needed. Gustatory: The gustatory system is the oral sensory system responsible for the perception of taste, flavor and other oral senses. The present backpack can be configured to incorporate oral tools, which are safe for resistive chewing and oral exploration. This type of gustatory tools can help replace maladaptive oral seeking behaviors in the form of nail biting, chewing on clothing, or putting inedible or unsafe objects in one's mouth. Stress and overstimulation are some of the triggers known for these oral-sense seeking behaviors, so having access to safe oral tools as an element of the present backpack system can be very effective for such situations. Vestibular: The vestibular system is an internal or “hidden” sensory system related to equilibrium, responsible for providing our brain with information about motion, head position, and spatial orientation. It also involves motor functions that allow us to keep our balance, stabilize our head and body during movement, and maintain posture. Wearing the present backpack system naturally provides the sense of posture as one travels throughout his/her day. A vibration feature can be added to provide a sensory feedback to alert the user of his/her posture, balance or orientation and help increase the body awareness. Proprioception: Another internal “hidden” sense, the proprioceptive sense detects position and movement of our limbs and trunk, the sense of effort, the sense of force, and the sense of heaviness. Receptors involved in proprioception are located in skin, muscles and joints. The present backpack is configured to include a wide built-in compression belt, which may be made of a stretchy neoprene material with VELCRO® fasteners, for example, to secure it as tightly as one prefers. The belt provides deep pressure and compression to one's midsection. Deep pressure activates the proprioceptive receptors and can have an immediate calming effect, which may be stabilizing and supporting just like touching, hugging or cuddling, as mentioned earlier.

Thus, the present backpack system is specifically designed for people with special needs such as those with ADD/ADHD, SPD, audism, anxiety disorder, etc., the backpack system comprising a backpack 100 and multiple sensory accessories 200 configured to be detachably attached to, i.e., attached to and detached from the backpack 100. Details of the present backpack system are explained below with reference to accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1-7 illustrate a front perspective view, a rear perspective view, a top view, a bottom view, a left side view, a right side view and a front view of the backpack 100 of the present backpack system according to an embodiment. The backpack 100 comprises a bag body 104 having multiple compartments for storing and carrying articles; a pair of shoulder straps 108, each strap 108 having two ends attached to one side of the bag body 104 and disposed in a generally longitudinal orientation, and a belt 112 attached to the one side of the bag body 104 and disposed in a generally lateral orientation. Examples of the multiple compartments of the bag body 104 may include a walled section with or without a zipper or other opening-and-closing means, a side pocket, an internal pocket, a meshed pocket and other compartments in a variety of different sizes and shapes to store and carry various articles therein. A user may put his/her arms through the loops made between the pair of shoulder straps 108 and the one side of the bag body 104 to place the upper portions of the straps 108 over his/her shoulders so as to place the bag body 104 on his/her back with the one side against his/her back. The backpack 100 may further comprise a sternum strap 116, which can secure the placement of the shoulder straps 108 worn over the user's shoulders by generally laterally connecting the two shoulder straps 108 on an upper portion of the user's chest surface, wherein the length of the sternum strap 116 can be made adjustable. Each of the shoulder straps 108 also may further include a length adjuster 120, an example of which may be a plastic loop to adjust the length of the strap 108 having made excessively longer than the generally longitudinal dimension of the one side of the bag body 104.

The pair of shoulder straps 108 of the present backpack 100 are configured to further include a multiple number of receiving portions of fasteners. Each receiving portion of a fastener included in the shoulder straps 108 is configured for receiving the corresponding mounting portion of the fastener attached at one end of an accessory item. Examples of the receiving portions illustrated in the present figures are: a pair of rings 124 for receiving the corresponding hooks; and a pair of receptacles 128 of release buckles for receiving the corresponding inserts.

As understood by those skilled in the art, “fasteners” included in the present backpack system are mechanical units, each having a receiving portion and a corresponding mounting portion for fastening to each other. Examples of fasteners include: a combination of a hook and a D-ring or an O-ring, a fabric hook-and-loop fastener such as VELCRO, a buckle with an insert such as a snap-in type buckle with a latch plate, a buckle with a prong, an S-N pair of magnets, a combination of a button and a hole, a snap, etc. These parts of fasteners may be shaped generally round, rectangular, polygonal or in any other suitable form. Fasteners are typically made of a cloth, plastic, metal, polymer, leather or other durable and/or flexible material. The terms such as plug, insert, pin and prong are often used for “male” connectors (mounting portions), and the terms such as receptacle, socket, port and slot are often used for “female” connectors (receiving portions).

FIG. 8 illustrates a front view of the backpack 100 in a configuration where both the belt 112 and the sternum strap 116 are opened. With this configuration, a user can easily put his/her arms through the loops made between the pair of shoulder straps 108 and the one side of the bag body 104 to place the upper portions of the straps 108 over his/her shoulders so as to place the bag body 104 on his/her back with the one side against his/her back. Thereafter, the user may wrap his/her abdominal area with the belt 112, adjust the fitting and secure the belt 112 by using the fastener such as the exemplary VELCRO included therein as illustrated in the figures, and connect the sternum strap 116 and adjust the length thereof to secure the shoulder straps 108 over his/her shoulders with the bag body 104 placed on his/her back.

FIG. 9 illustrates a front perspective view of the backpack 100 worn by a child/user. One notable feature of the present backpack 100 is the wide belt 112, which is configured to encircle and cover a large portion of an abdominal area of a user. The belt 112 may be made of an elastic material and have a fabric hook-and-loop fastener such as VELCRO, for example, so that the circumference can be adjusted to fit around the abdomen of a user. The width of the belt 112 may be dimensioned to cover at least 50% in height of the abdomen of a user. Specifically, the width of the belt 112 may be configured to be a value in the range of 5-10 inches for a child user, or in the range of 7-12 inches for an adult user. The belt 112 in the present backpack 100 is thus a built-in compression belt 112 dimensioned to be wide enough to cover a large portion of the user's abdominal area. The belt 112 may be made of a stretchy neoprene material with VELCRO fasteners, for example; thus, the circumference is adjustable to fit around the abdomen as tightly or comfortably as one prefers, thereby providing deep pressure and compression to one's midsection to optimize the proprioceptive sensory input. Deep pressure activates the proprioceptive receptors and can have an immediate calming effect, which can be stabilizing and supporting just like touching, hugging and cuddling, as mentioned earlier.

FIG. 10 illustrates examples of the sensory accessories 200 configured to be detachably attached to, i.e., attached to and detached from, the backpack 100. The examples in FIG. 10 are: (A) a spiral coil made of plastic that can be pulled, twisted or released by a finger; (B) a keychain comprised of a retractable cable and a ring that can be pulled, twisted or released by a finger; (C) a rectangular strip having a rough-texture fabric; and (D) a rectangular strip having a fluffy-texture fabric. The items such as (A) and (B) are intended to capture an attention of the user who engages his/her finger(s) with the repetitive elastic motion; i.e., they are fidget toys for relieving fidgeting via fumbling. Additionally, essential oil diffusers, e.g., lavender, vanilla, jasmine, peppermint or other herbal scent, may be accommodated in the keychain or another item to be attached to an upper portion of the present backpack 100, providing the olfactory sensory input, in addition to fidgeting means for the user. The items (C) and (D) provide tactile sensory stimulation, such as the sensation and feeling arising from touching a certain type of texture.

FIG. 11 illustrates two other examples of the sensory accessories 200 configured to be attached to and detached from the backpack 100. These examples are: (E) a rectangular strip having a sequin fabric; and (F) a rectangular strip made of a stretchy elastic fabric. A sequin is a disk-shaped bead typically made of reflective plastic. They can be sewn in a fabric to provide decorative shininess and/or colors. They can be made reversible to change colors by touching or gentle stroking. Thus, an accessory item made of a sequin fabric such as (E) can provide both visual and tactile sensory effects. The item (F) is another example of a fidget toy, allowing the user to engage his/her hand or fingers with the repetitive elastic motion to relieve stress.

FIG. 12 illustrates two other examples of the sensory accessories 200 configured to be attached to and detached from the backpack 100. These examples are: (G) a rectangular strip including two zippers; and (H) a strap with a chewable stick at one end. In the item (G), the zippers may be replaced with snaps, magnets or other fastening devices for the user's fingers to fidget with the opening and closing mechanism. The chewable stick in the item (H) can be made of a safe and chewable plastic material, with or without flavor, allowing the user to chew or bite to relieve oral-sense seeking behaviors.

In FIGS. 10-12 above, each of the sensory accessories 200 is illustrated with a mounting portion of a fastener: each of the items (A), (B) and (H) has a hook to be hooked to the ring included in the example shoulder straps 108 as illustrated in the figures; and each of the items (C)-(G) has an insert to be inserted into a receptacle of the buckle included in the example shoulder straps 108. These fastening mechanisms can be varied according to convenience, material strengths, user's preferences, etc.

FIG. 13 illustrates another examples of the sensory accessories 200, which are illustrated without the mounting portions of the fasteners. As mentioned earlier, each fastener can be of any type or shape, as long as the mounting portion corresponds to the receiving portion that is included in the shoulder straps 108 of the backpack 100. FIG. 13 illustrates examples of fidget toys: (I) a net with a marble inside; (J) tangled wires; (K) a tassel; and (L) a bungee cord. In addition to the above, other stimulating materials or objects may be used to form the sensory accessories 200 to be attached to the backpack 100. A crinkle material is another example, which can provide both auditory and tactile sensations while fumbling. Each accessory above is configured to provide the sensory input, stimulation or sensation with soothing effects by capturing the user's attention and/or relieving fidgeting.

FIG. 14 illustrates a front perspective view of an example of the backpack system according to an embodiment, including the backpack 100 and the multiple sensory accessories 200 attached thereto via the respective fasteners. The accessory items (A), (C), (D) and (H) are attached to the backpack 100 in FIG. 14, as examples. Some of the fasteners may be configured so that the upper portions of the shoulder straps 108 can receive extendable items, e.g., a spiral plastic coil (A), a keychain with a retractable cable (B), tangled wires (J) and a bungee cord (L), or items for stimulating oral sensation, e.g., a chewable stick (H). Other fasteners at the lower portions of the shoulder straps 108 may be configured to receive items for touching or fumbling, e.g. fidget or tactile toys (C)-(G), (I) and (K), for easy access by a hand or fingers.

FIG. 15 illustrates an example situation wherein a child/user is wearing the backpack system illustrated in FIG. 14. A large portion of the user's abdominal area is surrounded and covered by the belt 112, which provides the proprioceptive sensory stimulation via the deep pressure and compression; his right hand is touching the fluffy-textured fabric of the item (D), which provides the tactile sensory input; and his left hand is holding the chewable stick (H) toward his mouth, which provides the oral sensory stimulation. As such, the present backpack system is configured to integrally provide multi-sensory stimulation and inputs, soothing effects and comfort craved by people with special needs such as those with ADD/ADHD, SPD, autism, anxiety disorder, etc.

FIG. 16 illustrates an example of the internal structure of the bag body 104 of the backpack 100. As mentioned earlier, the bag body 104 is configured to include multiple compartments, at least one of which may be shaped and dimensioned to accommodate a mobile device (M), such as a vibration pack that can generate vibrations with certain frequencies or a smartphone that can emit music or sounds to provide audible sensory comfort. A second compartment, which is larger than the first one, is also shown in this figure for use for storing a larger, differently-shaped mobile device (N), such as a tablet or a large-size vibration pack. The bag body 104 may be configured to have a pass-through opening 132 for a wire connecting the mobile device in one of the compartments of the bag body 104 to a headphone or earphone worn by the user. Typical vibration packs can emit audible sounds and/or comforting vibrations with massaging effects. Thus, it is preferable that the one or more compartments for storing a vibration pack is disposed on the inner one side of the back body 104 that is put directly onto the user's back.

The above illustrations are given, assuming that users are mostly children. However, the present backpack system can be easily tailored for adults (including adolescents having a mature person's physique) by adjusting sizes and dimensions of various parts. In particular, the present backpack system comprises the belt 112 dimensioned to cover at least 50% in height of an abdomen of the user. Specifically, this translates to: a value in the range of 5-10 inches for children; or a value in the range of 7-12 inches for adults, based on statistical data.

While this document contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of an invention or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular embodiments of the invention. Certain features that are described in this document in the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be exercised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or a variation of a subcombination. 

1. A backpack system for people with special needs, the backpack system comprising: a backpack comprising a bag body having a plurality of compartments for storing and carrying articles, a pair of shoulder straps including a plurality of receiving portions of fasteners, each strap having two ends attached to one side of the bag body and disposed in a generally longitudinal orientation, and a belt attached to the one side of the bag body and disposed in a generally lateral orientation, the belt being configured to have a width dimensioned to cover at least 50% in height of an abdominal section of a user's trunk and encircle the abdominal section for providing a proprioceptive sensory input; and a plurality of accessories configured to be attached to and detached from the shoulder straps, each accessory having a mounting portion of the fastener corresponding to the receiving portion of the fastener and an item that provides at least one sensory input.
 2. The backpack system of claim 1, wherein the width of the belt is a value in the range of 5-10 inches.
 3. The backpack system of claim 1, wherein the width of the belt is a value in the range of 7-12 inches.
 4. The backpack system of claim 1, further comprising: a sternum strap for securing a placement of the pair of shoulder straps worn over the user's shoulders by generally laterally connecting the pair of shoulder straps on an upper portion of the user's chest surface.
 5. The backpack system of claim 1, wherein the bag body has a pass-through opening for a wire connecting a mobile device stored in one of the plurality of compartments to a headphone or earphone.
 6. The backpack system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the compartments is shaped and dimensioned to accommodate a mobile device including a vibration pack.
 7. The backpack system of claim 1, wherein a circumference of the belt is adjustable to fit around the abdominal section of the user's trunk to provide deep pressure and compression for optimizing the proprioceptive sensory input.
 8. The backpack system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of accessories include at least one material or object configured to engage the user's fingers or hand with a repetitive motion to relieve fidgeting via fumbling.
 9. The backpack system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of accessories include at least one textured fabric for providing a tactile sensory input.
 10. The backpack system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of accessories include at least one chewable stick for providing an oral sensory input.
 11. The backpack system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of accessories include at least one material or object configured to generate sounds or vibrations for providing an auditory sensory input.
 12. The backpack system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of accessories include at least one material or object configured to show colors, shininess or both for providing a visual sensory input.
 13. The backpack system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of accessories include at least one scent diffuser for providing an olfactory sensory input. 